


Don't Leave Me, I Hate You

by Varianlover333



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Minor Hugo/Varian (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:20:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28376103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Varianlover333/pseuds/Varianlover333
Summary: After Hugo sabotages the Earth Kingdom Trial, Varian is left annoyed, angry, and confused. But when Hugo goes missing after the outburst, his anger turns to worry.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Don't Leave Me, I Hate You

**Author's Note:**

> So, Varigo is implied. Heavily. But there's no smut, and it can also be interpreted as a friendship. Well... kinda. But I am a hard Varigo shipper, and I'm sorry if this offends you. This one shot isn't based off of another fan fic, only loosely tied to the plot available online for Varian and the Seven Kingdoms, and it describes what I believe the Earth Trial could consist of. I hope you enjoy!

Varian was annoyed. He had been annoyed with Hugo so many times before, but this was different. Hugo's antics had never prevented them from their goals before. They were in the Earth kingdom, camping outside the city where the trial was found. Nuru had pointed out that the trial would probably reset, allowing them to try again, but it had been Hugo's fault they had failed in the first place. They were supposed to drop the correct amount of stones in the right slot, and Varian had TOLD him multiple times to drop the granite stone into the left chute, but he had simply smiled, looked him right in the eyes, and tossed it in the right. And with a blast of magic, they were thrown out. 

The act itself was annoying enough, but the fact was, Hugo didn't even seem sorry. As they trudged back to camp, Yong for once shocked into silence, and Nuru offering Varian assurances about how they could try again, Hugu didn't say a word. Nuru shot him dirty glances every chance she could, and looked apologetically at Varian. Whether she was sorry for glaring at Hugo or for their recent failure, he wasn't sure. Varian stormed ahead of the group, needing some air and time to sulk alone. Hugo didn't push it, didn't try to rush up and say anything. Varian wasn't sure if he was happy about that or not. When they had arrived back at camp, Nuru had gone to make dinner and Yong flopped down in the dirt beside the fire, looking distraught.

Varian had stormed over to his tent, pausing at the entrance to gaze over the camp. Hugo hovered a ways away from the camp, fidgeting with his sleeves. For the first time, Varian noticed actual regret, sorrow... and... shame? Written evidently across his face. He didn't even try to enter the camp, seeming to know he wasn't wanted. But the stupid thing was, Varian DID want him there. He wanted an explanation, or an apology... something. It never came, and Hugo simply cleared his throat and wandered off into the woods. Varian, considerably less angry but now more annoyed, huffed pointedly and disappeared into his tent. He pondered over the journal for a bit, even though he had memorized every detail there was to know. Then he mixed some more alchemical ingredients for the future, refilling his supplies. 

Nuru had left his dinner on his pillow for him, only mentioning it was there before ducking out to give him space. Hours later, frustrated over an experiment not having the desired effect, he sat down on his sleeping bag to eat it. The food was cold now, and he picked at it, but still ate it, knowing he needed nourishment. Finally, he knew he should talk to Hugo. He needed answers. He stepped outside, the sky black with night. Nuru, who always stayed up considerably later than everyone else to study the stars, had even gone to bed. Varian was surprised with how late he had allowed himself to stay awake, merely out of frustration. He sighed heavily and walked over to Hugo's tent, knocking on a post before ducking inside. 

Hugo's sleeping bag was unmade, the top layer crumpled up. The rest of the tent was empty. Varian frantically tore the sleeping bag apart, as if Hugo was hiding in the tiny rumples. He wasn't. Varian felt panic rock through his body, then annoyance that he cared so much. Hugo had sabatoged their mission, what did it matter if he was sulking in the woods for a bit longer than usual? Then shame swept over Varian, at the very thought. Hugo was his FRIEND. And now he was missing. Of course it mattered. He raced back to his tent, grabbing his staff to light his path, and started into the woods, fingering the emergency flare Yong had given out to him. Everyone in the group had one. 

But Hugo's hadn't gone off. Did that mean he wasn't in trouble, or that someone was chasing him and he was in more trouble than the others even realized? Varian quickened his pace at the thought. He wove through the path, looking for a trail. Hugo had done well to cover his trail. He didn't want to be found, and that worried Varian even more. But a few agonizing minutes later, Varian caught sight of a small broken branch off the main path that Hugo had missed. He headed in that direction, looking for more clues. Upon finding none, Varian simply walked in a straight line, hoping despite his stupid decision that he would find Hugo.   
Panic filled him once again when he heard a small stream. He rushed forward, the sound growing closer. And with the sound of the bubbling water, he heard another stream of water... But this time, it was tears, accompanied by wracking sobs. Hugo sat on a rock beside the stream, leaning over, with his face in his knees. His arms folded around his legs, meeting at his ankles, gripping his boots with white knuckles. Beside Hugo, a broken vial had burst, a glowing blue goo lighting up the scene in a sorrowful hue. 

It almost seemed etherworldly. Hugo didn't cry. Varian didn't even think he'd ever seen him get midly upset, let alone in tears and sobbing loudly only a good 30 minutes away from the camp. His ponytail was messy, random strands of hair escaping the hairtie and covering his cheeks. His clothes were rumpled, as if he had been sobbing like this for a long time, curled up and rocking on occasion. Varian wanted to go over, to straighten his clothes and fix his hair, to somehow make Hugo go back to normal. He would've done anything to hear a snide remark, and sarcastic comment, to have Hugo jump up and yell, 'fooled ya!' with a smirk. Anything but this.

Varian took a tentative step back-- and a leaf crunched under his shoes. Hugo's sobs stopped so abruptly that he hiccupped, standing and whirling around. He already had a ball of goo to trap whoever it was that had snuck up on him in this unseemly state, arm poised to throw. When he saw Varian, his tear-stained snarl dropped, shock evident on his face before it blushed red with embarrassment at having been caught like this. His lips pursed as he put on a brave face. 

"What do you want?" He grumbled, forcefully, placing the glass ball in his side pouch and turning away, walking to lean against a tree nonchalantly, still facing away from Varian as he wiped his face quickly and crossed his arms. Varian stumbled with his answer.

"I... uh... I was... Are you okay?" He finally managed, and Hugo snorted.

"I'm fine. Are you okay, Hairstripe? You sound like you're having a hard time." The jab was meant to throw the attention off of himself, and Varian knew it as much as Hugo did. And yet, his cheeks still flushed bright red.

"You were crying." He pointed out, stepping closer. Hugo didn't respond, but Varian thought he heard a gulp. "It's not that big a deal. We can try again tomorrow. I was just frustrated because I didn't think we'd HAVE to." Varian said, surprised when he realized how true it was. 

"But what's the point?" Hugo's voice was low, and dangerously calm. Varian wasn't sure how to react.

"What?" He squeaked.

"What's the point?!!" Hugo whirled around, facing him, anger radiating off of him. "You're not going to continue the trials! I heard you talking to Nuru! You're going to stay with those STUPID cousins of yours and not finish your STUPID quest!" Varian flinched, wanting to protest that his cousins weren't stupid. But Hugo's next words threw him for a loop. "And then I'm going to be nobody again, just a thief that nobody wants, and Nuru will go back to her kingdom and try to find another way to help because we all know she can't do this alone, and Yong will probably blow up some noble's palace and become a pyromaniac, and I'm going to have nothing! NOTHING! And I can't have nothing because I can't go back--" Hugo stopped abruptly, as if he'd said too much. He stared at Varian's face, softly muttering out the rest of his sentence. "I can't go back to being a nobody." His angry rant over, he stood there for a moment, panting. His face crumpled, and he looked angry that he was losing it, and spun around, plopping back down on the rock, elbows resting on his knees and his forehead in his hands. Varian wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry or both. Had this been the problem the whole time? Obviously, Hugo hadn't stayed for the whole conversation, but he didn't know that. 

"Hugo, I'm not stopping the quest. After talking things through with Nuru, I decided I couldn't do that. I'm going to keep in touch with my cousins, but I'm not stopping." Varian said, walking over to Hugo and crouching next to him for a moment before assuming a cross-legged position beside the older boy. Hugo sniffed, almost as if he hadn't realized he had done it, and looked up in surprise.

"You're not... stopping?" He repeated, in disbelief.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're losing your touch." Varian joked, nudging Hugo with his elbow. "Imagine! Not eavesdropping on the whole conversation! For shame, Hugo." He was rewarded with a chuckle, which morphed into a cocky laugh.

"Yeah, right. You wish. I was just tired of waiting for you knuckleheads to finish talking." He said, and Varian realized that all those snide remarks, all those sarcastic comments... They came from him caring. He cared about their mismatched, ragged group, as much as he liked to deny it. Varian felt a smile graze his lips, and it wouldn't go away. He leaned his head against Hugo's leg. Hugo stiffened under him, then he heard a snort and Hugo ruffled his hair, relaxing once again. 

"I'm gonna have to start calling you Lover Boy now." He joked, and Varian felt his cheeks flame up as he made an indignant grunt. They sat in silence for a moment.

"So... You think Yong will become a pyromaniac, huh?" He noted, with amusement.

"Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me." Hugo chuckled, dryly. 

"I should tell him you said that. He'll probably spend the next week clinging to you after a compliment of that stature." Varian teased. Hugo jumped up, alarmed.  
"Don't you dare, Goggles!" He yelped, pointing an accusatory finger at Varian. Varian grinned.

"Well, now I have to." He smirked, and Hugo's eyes narrowed mischievously.

"Then I'll tell the group your new nickname is Lover Boy." He threatened, and Varian's eyes widened, his cheeks hot once again. 

"We shall never speak of this moment again." He stated. Hugo grinned, seeming to have a newfound respect as he thrust his hand out.

"Deal." He agreed, and Varian shook on it. And together, the two boys sauntered into camp, side by side, joking with each other playfully, a mutual respect and friendship growing. And if something else came out of that entirely? Well, that would just have to be dealt with in the future. Hopefully, a future that wasn't going to end anytime soon.


End file.
